TORONTO — Porter Airlines says it will require employees to be fully vaccinated or present a negative COVID-19 test administered within 72 hours of the start of their shift.
The requirement comes ahead of the airline's plan to resume flights on Sept. 8.
Only select destinations are resuming Sept. 8, which will be nearly 18 months after flights were suspended because of COVID-19.
Canadian destinations included in the initial group are Thunder Bay, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, Moncton, Montreal, Quebec City, and St. John's. Sept. 17, the company is resuming flights to the U.S., including Boston, Chicago, New York and Washington.
Flights to other year-round destinations, including Timmins and Sault Ste. Marie, are set to resume Oct. 6. The service will be based on passenger demand.
The federal government announced last week its intention to mandate vaccination for federally regulated employers and workers.
The airline says once specific requirements from the government are known, its policy may evolve.
Porter CEO Michael Deluce says requiring vaccination or regular testing is a critical measure to protect the health of workers.
Porter suspended operations on March 21, 2020, due to the pandemic.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2021.
The Canadian Press